Make Twitter work for your company

Dubai: Real-time marketing can help brands respond to the trending topics on the lips of their customers.

Speaking at the recent Digital Media Forum, Guy Yalif, head of global product marketing at Twitter said the social network’s ‘real time’ capability can help brands interact with consumers and receive feedback instantly.

Twitter gives brands ways to advertise their products using 140 characters and different media, including photos and videos. A company can send a tweet with a visually appealing photo or video attached, as well as a link which takes customers to the brand’s website, where a purchase can be made.

Yalif said brands need to amplify their use of this tool. He presented examples of international companies that have creatively engaged with customers through their tweets.

One company that is using Twitter creatively is American Express.

The ‘pay by tweet’ system announced earlier this year allows customers that have linked their cards to their Twitter accounts to buy a product by sending tweets in response to special offers. “That’s a creative way to use 140 characters,” Yalif said.

In addition, brands are developing their use of video on Twitter, according to Yalif. Some brands are posting short videos on the platform to build up on a longer video broadcasted on television, for instance.

Twitter is also a gathering point for television viewers. 95 per cent of conversations about television happen on Twitter, according to Yalif.

He advised brands to add Twitter to their advertising platforms. Twitter “is a bridge to other media. It’s not a standalone item,” he said.